The health ministry is mulling ways to subsidize the cost of PCR tests for caregivers, which are required for people providing assistance for hospitalized patients. 

Lee Chang-joon, the head of health and medical policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Monday, said the ministry is considering various ways to reduce the financial burden on guardians and caregivers who were recently excluded from free PCR testing, along with the general public, if they are not judged to belong to a vulnerable group.
 
The PCR tests, which were available free of charge until last Thursday, cost around 100,000 Korean won per test.

Lee said the ministry is considering methods like pooled testing provided by the hospital as an alternative to cut cost and time. 
 
According to current guidelines, only one guardian per patient is allowed in the hospital, and each unique guardian must submit a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours to enter.